Emily Chan
They conducted their experiments by employing the technique of angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. They irradiated their sample materials with a high-energy photo beam that ejected some electrons they could study.
The team worked with three materials: palladium diselenides, cuprate superconductors, and lead halide perovskites. Each of the materials has “certain crystal symmetries” that can make the electrons distinguishable as four different types.
Overall, the researchers found that one type of electron could be detected with angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. The other three types were undetectable, indicating that they were in dark states.
More research is needed to confirm the findings, although the experiments did show a lot of promise and called attention to the importance of sublattices when studying dark electrons.
The study authors believe that sublattices should be considered in all research associated with dark electrons and other related phenomena.
The study was published in the journal Nature Physics.
